Staff profile

Dr Pauleen Charmayne Bennett

Director of Regional Operations (School of Psychological Science), Associate Professor

Faculty of Science, Technology and Engineering

School of Psychological Science
Department of Psychology

Room 4.14, Arts Building, Bendigo

 

Qualifications

Bachelor of Arts La Trobe University; Bachelor of Behavioural Science (Honours) La Trobe University; Masters of Psychology (Clinical Neuropsychology) La Trobe University; Doctor of Philosophy Monash University

Membership of professional associations

Member Australian Psychological Society; President International Society for Anthrozoology; Chair Australian Anthrozoology Research Foundation

Area of study

Psychology

Brief profile

Pauleen combines her work at La Trobe with a range of community activities designed to improve human-companion animal relationships. She leads a very busy and very productive research group (www.anthrozoologyresearchgroup.com) and is director and chair of the Australian Anthrozoology Research Foundation (www.anthrozoologyfoundation.org), a non-profit foundation set up to raise money to support students investigating the potential benefits for human health of engaging with companion animals. She has adjunct appointments at Monash University and The Ohio State University and spends her free time hanging out on her farm with her dogs, horses and goats.  

Teaching units

PSY3RPA: Research Project in Psychology A

PSY3RPB: Research Project in Psychology B

PSY3HAR: Psychology of Human-Animal Relationships

PSY1HPM: History, Philosophy and Methodogy of Psychological Science

Recent publications

Kerswell, K.J., Bennett, P.C., Butler, K.L., & Hemsworth, P.H. (2013). Self-reported comprehension ratings of dog behavior by owners of adult dogs. Anthrozoös, 26(1), 5-11.

Alberthsen, C., Rand, J., Bennett, P.C., Symons, M., & Lawrie, M. (2013). Cat admissions to RSPCA animal shelters in Queensland, Australia: description of cats and risk factors for euthanasia after entry. Australian Veterinary Journal, 91(1-2), 35-42.

Mornement, K.M., Coleman, G.J., Toukhsati, S.R., & Bennett, P.C. (2012). What do current and potential Australian dog owners believe about shelter practices and shelter dogs? Anthrozoös, 25(4), 457-474.

Testa, R., Bennett, P.C., & Ponsford, J. (2012). Factor analysis of nineteen executive function tests in a health adult population. Archives of Clinical Neuropsychology, 27, 213-224.

Howell, T., Conduit, R., Toukhsati, S., and Bennett, P. (2012) Auditory stimulus discrimination recorded in dogs, as indicated by mismatch negativity (MMN). Behavioural Processes, 89(1), 8-13.

Rohlf, V.I., Bennett, P.C., Toukhsati, S., Coleman, G.J. (2012). Beliefs underlying dog owners’ health care behaviours: results from a large, self-selected internet sample. Anthrozoös, 25(2), 171-186.

Toukhsati, S.R., Young, E., Bennett, P.C., Coleman, G.J. (2012) Wandering cats: attitudes and behaviours toward cat containment in Australia. Anthrozoös, 25(1), 61-74.

King, T., Marston, L.C., and Bennett, P.C. (2012). Breeding dogs for beauty and behaviour: why scientists need to do more to develop valid and reliable behaviour assessments for dogs kept as companions. Applied Animal Behaviour Science, 137, 1-12.

 Grant, M., Ponsford, J., & Bennett, P.C. (2012). The application of Goal Management Training to aspects of financial management in individuals with traumatic brain injury. Neuropsychological Rehabilitation: An International Journal, DOI:10.1080/09602011.2012.693455

Howell, T., Conduit, R., Toukhsati, S., & Bennett, P.C. (2011). Development of a minimally-invasive protocol for recording mismatch negativity (MMN) in the dog (Canis familiaris) using electroencephalography (EEG). Journal of Neuroscience Methods, 201(2), 377-380.

Howell, T. & Bennett, P.C. (2011). Can dogs (Canis familiaris) use a mirror to solve a problem? Journal of Veterinary Behavior: Clinical Applications and Research, 6(6), 306-312.

Howell, T. & Bennett, P.C. (2011). Puppy Power! Using social cognition research tasks to improve socialization practices for domestic dogs (Canis familiaris). Journal of Veterinary Behavior: Clinical Applications and Research, 6(3), 195-204.

Mornement, K.M., Coleman, G.J., Toukhsati, S.R., & Bennett, P.C. (2010). A review of behavioural assessment protocols used by Australian animal shelters to determine the adoption suitability of dogs. Journal of Applied Animal Welfare Science, 13, 314-329.

Kerswell, K.J., Butler, K.L., Bennett, P.C., & Hemsworth, P.H. (2010). The relationships between morphological features and social signalling behaviours in juvenile dogs: the effect of early experience with dogs of different morphotypes. Behavioural Processes, 85(1), 1-7. 

Rohlf, V.I., Bennett, P.C., Toukhsati, S.R., Coleman, G.J. (2010). Why do even committed dog owners fail to comply with some responsible ownership practices? Anthrozoös, 23(2) 143-155.

Rohlf, V.I., Toukhsati, S.R., Coleman, G.J., & Bennett, P.C. (2010). Dog obesity: can dog caregivers’ (owners’) feeding and exercise intentions and behaviours be predicted from attitudes? Journal of Applied Animal Welfare Science, 13(3), 213-236.

McGreevy, P.M., & Bennett, P.C. (2010). Challenges and paradoxes in the companion-animal niche. Animal Welfare, 19, 11-16.

Marston, L.C., & Bennett, P.C. (2009). Admissions of Cats to Animal Welfare Shelters in Melbourne, Australia, Journal of Applied Animal Welfare Science, 12, 189-213.

King, T., Marston, L.C., & Bennett, P.C. (2009). Describing the ideal Australian companion dog. Applied Animal Behaviour Science, 120 (1-2), 84-93.

Kerswell, K.J., Bennett, P.C., Butler, K.L. & Hemsworth, P.H. (2009). The relationship of adult morphology and early social signalling of the domestic dog (Canis familiaris). Behavioural Processes, 81, 376-382.

Kerswell, K.J., Bennett, P.C., Butler, K.L. & Hemsworth, P.H. (2009). Self-reported comprehension ratings of dog behavior by puppy owners. Anthrozoös, 22(2), 183-193. 

Ley, J., Bennett, P.C., & Coleman, G.J. (2009). A refinement and validation of the Monash Canine Personality Questionnaire (MCPQ). Applied Animal Behaviour Science, 116, 220-227.

Ley, J.M., McGreevy, P., & Bennett, P.C. (2009). Inter-rater and test-retest reliability of the Monash Canine Personality Questionnaire-Revised (MCPQ-R). Applied Animal Behaviour Science, 119, 85-90.

Ley, J. Bennett, P.C., & Coleman, G. (2008). Personality dimensions that emerge in companion canines. Applied Animal Behaviour Science, 100, 305-317.

Bennett, P.C., Cooper, N., Rohlf, V.I., & Mornement, K. (2007). Factors influencing owner satisfaction with companion dog training services. Journal of Applied Animal Welfare Science, 10(3), 217-241.

Bennett, P.C., & Rohlf, V.I. (2007). Owner-companion dog interactions: relationships between demographic variables, potentially problematic behaviours, training engagement and shared activities. Applied Animal Behaviour Science, 102, 65-84.

Ley, J., & Bennett, P.C. (2007). Understanding personality by understanding companion dogs. Anthrozoos, 20(2), 113-124.

Toukhsati, S.R., Bennett, P.C., & Coleman, G.J. (2007). Behaviours and attitudes towards semi-owned cats. Anthrozoos, 20(2), 131-142.

Dwyer, F., Bennett, P.C., & Coleman, G.C. (2006). Development of the Monash Dog Owners Relationship Scale (M-DORS). Anthrozoos 19(3), 243-256. 

Older publications

Recent Plenary Addresses

Bennett, P.C. (2010). Putting the pieces together: using science to improve relationships between people and their canine companions. Canine Science Forum, July 25-28, Vienna, Austria.

Bennett, P.C. (2010). People, pets and positive psychology. Second Australian Positive Psychology and Well-Being Conference, February 12-13, Caulfield, Victoria, Australia.

Bennett, P.C. (2009). What makes a good test of canine behaviour: lessons from the behavioural sciences. Australian Institute of Animal Management Annual Conference, October 14-16, Geelong, Victoria, Australia.

Bennett, P.C. (2009). The modern work of dogs: what is it and how does it influence dog behaviour and welfare. 43rd Congress of the International Society for Applied Ethology, July 6-10, Cairns, Australia.

Research projects